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For Life-Threatening Emergencies, CALL 911

Macalester Resources

Macalester Security651-696-6555
Be prepared to give your name, describe the situation and provide contact information. Security can also connect you with other campus response personnel. Security is the best place to start for issues of personal safety.

Your RA or the RA on dutyTelephone numbers are posted on the door of your residence hall office. RAs have special training to deal with personal and community concerns.

Resident Hall Director (RHD) on dutyThere is always an RHD on duty – you may reach the RHD on duty through calling Security or RA on call.

Phone Resources

24/7 Telephonic Mental Health Counseling – ProtoCallTo speak to a mental health counselor after hours, simply call the Hamre Center for Health & Wellness phone number: (651) 696-6275. Then press “2” and you will be connected to ProtoCall, a free phone counseling service that Macalester provides for students.

TelehealthStudents with United Healthcare Student Resources Insurance:
You have 24/7 access to medical advice through HealthiestYou, a national telehealth service. By calling the toll-free number listed on the front of your health insurance card or visiting www.telehealth4students.com you have access to board-certified physicians via phone and/or video, where permitted. This service is especially helpful for minor illness. Based on the condition being treated, the doctor can also prescribe medications if needed. This can save you money and time, while avoiding costly trips to a doctor’s office, urgent care, or emergency room. As an insured with StudentResources, there is no fee for this service; every call is covered 100% during your policy period. Students who have different insurance can use this service however there is a $40 charge for each medical service charged by the provider.

Nurse Care LinesMost insurance companies offer a nurse care line option – check on the back of your insurance card for the telephone number. You can usually talk with a provider who can help determine if you should seek immediate medical care.

Local Hospitals

These are the hospitals that are closest to Macalester, both of which have emergency rooms:

The Urgency Room

Urgency care delivers fast, high-quality emergency care in a convenient out-of-hospital environment. Unlike the ER, the Urgency Room is an outpatient facility with no inpatient or overnight rooms available. The Urgency Room has a high-complexity lab, x-ray machine, CT scanner, ultrasound machines all onsite to allow for treatment of acute injuries that surpass the abilities of a standard urgent care. For insurance questions refer to their website. Open 7 days a week 8am to 10pm, including holidays. Advantage: Generally much shorter wait to be seen than in hospital ER. Disadvantage: location makes it most readily accessed by car and if you were to need hospitalization, you would need to transfer to a different provider/location.

You should call ahead to clarify that your insurance will be accepted and, particularly in the case of influenza symptoms or other communicable disease concerns, if they have special instructions. Check to make sure they are open – some are closed on holidays.

Urgent care facilities are to be utilized when the Hamre Center for Health & Wellness is closed and you believe the medical condition is severe enough that it cannot wait. If the Urgent Care facility is not open, contact a hospital emergency room.

The odds are good that at some point during the year you will feel REALLY sick over the weekend or at night when the Hamre Center for Health & Wellness is closed. Who can you call to get some advice and determine if you need to be seen by a doctor? Where can you go to be seen outside of an emergency room? Where is an emergency room?

First determine how urgent it is. Most of the time, symptoms indicate that you can probably wait until a provider is open or you can go to urgent care and you won’t need the ER. While the ER is THE place to go for life-threatening emergencies or middle-of-the-night urgent situations, students are encouraged to consider other options first. A visit to an ER for non-urgent situations can translate into many hours in the waiting room and hundreds of dollars.

HOW TO DECIDE IF IT IS A LIFE-THREATENING CONDITION
Examples of life-threatening conditions include

Difficulty breathing

Major injury (e.g. open chest wound with trouble breathing; spinal or neck injury with loss of responsiveness)

Unconscious or minimally responsive (e.g. drug or alcohol overdose)

Convulsion that will not stop

In case of a life-threatening emergency, call 911! Remember, this is not for sore throats, nausea, or a light fever, unless you are concerned that it is indicative of a more severe, life-threatening situation. If you call 911 from a cell phone while on campus, be sure to call Security at 651-696-6555 as well to let them know so that they can assist the ambulance. There is no charge for the EMT to come but if you are transported in an ambulance, there is a significant fee that your insurance may not cover, depending on your insurance. But if it is an emergency, call!

What to do:

Call the Urgent Care center/Emergency Room first

As soon as you arrive, indicate why you think it’s urgent

State the main problem first

Report any past experience with the problem

Bring any medications you have taken for the problem

Paying for Emergency Visits: Macalester College does not cover visits to the emergency room; those are billed to your insurance company.

Transportation
If you need treatment and do not have transportation, contact your RA/CA, the hall director on duty, or Security. Macalester can provide transportation options for students (usually a ride service such as Lyft or Uber) if needed.

Websites
If you are looking for health information, reference some of the self-care provided at a reputable website such the one at the Mayo Clinic

The Hamre Center for Health & Wellness offers emergency support for students during office hours whenever school is in session. After hours, if you are having thoughts of harming yourself or are feeling dangerously out of control, you have several resources available to you. If residing on campus, we recommend you first contact your RA/CA or RHD who can help you determine the best option and facilitate your decision.

An additional resource for students with counseling needs is the 24/7 phone counseling service contracted through the HWC for all full-time enrolled Macalester students. Simply call HWC at 651-696-6275 and press “2” when you reach the voice mail.

Consider going to the nearest emergency room or calling 911. The closest emergency room to campus is at Regions Hospital (651-254-1000), located at 640 Jackson Street in downtown St. Paul.

Here are some other steps students can take to help manage times of distress:

Identify the specific source or distress and write down and review positive strategies for responding to it.

Talk with a trusted family member, mentor, or friend.

Engage in activities that help you feel better (e.g. listening to relaxing music, exercising, walking, journaling, or doing a relaxation exercise).

Walk-In Counseling Center
612.870.0565
Walk-in services are available at two Twin Cities sites including one in St. Paul. Click on the link above for locations and times.

Regions Hospital
651.254.1000
Persons may present at the Emergency Center for crisis counseling, psychiatric assessment and possible admission for inpatient services. Call in advance of arrival when possible.
Located at 640 Jackson St., St. Paul